RICO Lawsuits Filed Against Johnson & Johnson

When an enormous company releases defective products onto the marketplace, that company can face a high amount of civil liability if people are injured when using these products properly. This situation is particularly dangerous when the defective products in question are over-the-counter medications, as the fallout can be severe if not fatal. In recent years, Johnson & Johnson, the world's largest producer and seller of health-oriented products, has announced a series of recalls for certain Tylenol brands and other over-the-counter products. However, new allegations are coming out in the wake of a lawsuit filed by defective drugs lawyers in Chicago that incorporates claims under the RICO statute.

Tylenol Recalls

On four separate occasions over the past 18 months, Johnson & Johnson has initiated recalls of several different products that include several forms of Tylenol, Tylenol for children and Motrin among others because of a noxious smell that emanates from the containers of these medications. This smell was ultimately traced to problems associated with the manufacturing process of these medications, and the FDA recently completed an inspection of a plant in Pennsylvania. The FDA report issued upon completion of this inspection was nothing short of scathing, and it announced that additional inspections of other plants would be necessary in the wake of its discoveries during the initial analysis.

Johnson & Johnson RICO Claims

Now comes word that several RICO lawsuits have been filed in Chicago against Johnson & Johnson. RICO is a federal law that stands for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act. It was originally enacted by Congress to deal with mob activities. However, it can be used in civil lawsuits and can be brought against other organizations that engage in this type of conduct. The allegations that brought RICO into play in these lawsuits centers on the activity of Johnson & Johnson in the midst of the publicizing of their recall problems. Specifically, the plaintiffs allege that Johnson & Johnson hired agents to move through different retail outlets to buy out all of the remaining products that needed to be removed from shelves, thereby eliminating the need to announce a recall.

Filing a civil lawsuit under RICO opens up an entirely different set of possible damages that can be awarded, including punitive damages, treble damages where amounts can be tripled and attorneys' fees. Those who have filed these lawsuits are seeking class action status as well. If you or someone you love has suffered from using a defective Johnson & Johnson product, seek the help of Arizona defective drugs lawyers who have been holding even the largest corporations accountable for the harm they've caused for many years. Contact Phillips Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.